Sheet piler



May 12, 1964 H, M. BERNARD, JR

SHEET PILER Filed NOV. 20. 1961 I NN QN Q R "vll A u m mm N I w mmm w u w mm wh. .QQWLIEU um vw xhswkw.. I Nb HA HRV M. BERNARD, Jr.

Alldrwey United States Patent O 3,132,858 SHEET PllLER Harry M. Bernard, Jr., Duquesne, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New `Iersey Filed Nov. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 153,662 Claims. (Cl. 271-68) This invention relates to a sheet piler and more particularly to a piler yfor piling sheets of light gauge steel. The sheets are fed to the underside of 1a magnetic conveyor and are dropped therefrom to a platform therebeneath. I have found that long and very light sheets tend to entrap air beneath them as they drop from the conveyor to the sheet pack lifter therebelow. This entrapment of air causes light gauge sheets to billow and present a concave surface with respect to the pack lifter so that the lead end of the falling sheet Atends lto cut into the tcp surface of the previously stacked sheet and cause surface damage.

It is therefore an object of my invention tofprovide mechanism 'which can pile light sheets without damage thereto.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal elevation, partly in section, of the sheet piler of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged lView taken on the line II-II of FIGURE l; and

FIGURE 3 is a schematic wiring diagram of the control used in my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings reference numeral 2 indicates a lbelt conveyor for feeding sheets to a magnetic conveyor 4. Preferably a short belt conveyor 6 is -arranged between the conveyors 2 and 4 as shown. A platform 8 is located beneath Ithe conveyor 4 and is supported for vertical movement by hydraulic cylinders 10. The conveyor 4 includes spaced V-belts 12 which pass around pulleys 14 and 16, one of which is driven in the usual manner. While only two belts 12 are shown it will be understood that more belts may be provided as required. Electromagnets 18, 20 and 22 are located above the bottom run of Ithe belt 12. Power for energizing the magnets 18, 20 and 22 is supplied from a power source 24. Support beams 26 run along both sides of the conveyor 4.

The parts so far described are conventional. According to my invention I provide a carriage 28 which has wheels Bti mounted thereon. The top flangesvofbeams 26 serve as tracks for receiving the wheels 30. An air cylinder 32 having a downwardly extending piston rod 34 is mounted on the carriage 28. A threaded bolt 35 is mounted on the carriage 28 to hold it in adjusted position by engaging beam 26. Air for operating 'cylinder 32 is provided from a suitable air source through conduit 36 to a solenoid operated airA valve 38 which controls flow of air vto opposite ends of the cylinder 32 through conduits 40 and 42. Control valves 44 and 46 in conduits 40 and 42, respectively control the speed of operation of the cylinder 32. A bent link 48 is pivotally attached to the bottom of carriage 28 adjacent the transverse center thereof 'and extends downwardly between the spaced belts 12. A depressor ann 50 is pivotally mounted on the free end of link 48. 'l'he lower end of the arm 50 carries a resilient tip 52 and spring 54 extends between the upper ends of link 48 and arm Si). A link 55 extends between and is pivotally attached to the lower end of rod 34 and the intermediate portion of link 48.

A sensing device 56 is mounted adjacent the entry end of conveyor 4. The sensing device 56 is a conventional device and may be a magnetic sensing device that includes an induction coil 58. According to my invention 3,132,858 Patented May 12, 1964 pice the induction coil 58 is connected to a relay 60 which forms part of an electronic amplifier 62 having a contact 60C connected in series with magnets 18, 20 and 22. Solenoid 38S of valve 38 is also mounted in series with contact 60C.

In the operation of my device carriage 28 is moved along the tracks 26 to the position best suited for handling the length ofthe sheet-to be handled and held in that position by means of the threaded bolt 35. A sheet S is fed by conveyor 2 over conveyor 6 yunder the magnetic sensing device S6. When the head end of the sheet S moves beneath the sensing device or induction coil '58 ,the delay vrelay 60 in the amplifier y62 picks up and closes the lcontact 60C. This energiezs magnets 18, 20 and 22 and solenoid 38S. Thus, the power magnets will hold the sheet in the up position against the lower run of the belts 12. Energization of solenoid 38S causes air to ow through conduit 40, thus moving piston rod 34 downwardly and moving the resilient tip 52 up out of lthe path of travel of the sheet S las shown in full lines in the drawings. When the tail end of the sheet S passes induction coil 58 relay 60 is deenergiezd opening contact l60C so as to deenergize magnets 18, 20 and 22 and solenoid 38S. 'Ihe sheet S is then free to fall and the air valve 38 will cause ow of air to the bottom of cylinder 32, thus moving the piston rod 34 upwardly. kMovement of piston rod 34 upwardly' causes the resilient tip 52 to move downwardly away'from the feed side of the conveyor so that the tip 52 fwill strike the sheet S and force out the air entrapped beneath it as shown in broken lines in FIGURE l. Thus, the sheet S is attened out and will fall properly to the sheet pack `P on platform `8. As more sheets are piled on the pile P the platform 8 is lowered by means of cylinders 10 so that the distance between the bottom of conveyor 4 and the top ofthe pile P remains substantially constan-t. The tension spring 54 prevents the tip 52 from scuillng the surface of the sheet being struck by extending at Ithe moment of Contact. This permits the tip 52 to move with the sheet at the same time as it depresses it.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a sheet piler including an electromagnetic conveyor, means for feeding steel sheets to thel underside of said magnetic conveyor, a platform beneath said magnetic conveyor for receiving sheets, land means for lowering said platform as sheets accumulate thereon, the improvement comprising a non-contact sheet sensing device at the entry end of said magnetic conveyor, a resilient tip, means mounting said resilient tip for movement from a position above the path of travel of a sheet to said magnetic conveyor -to )a position downwardly and away from the direction of approach of said sheets, means operable byl actuation of said sensing device to energize said magnetic conveyor and move said resilient tip to its upper position, and means operable by movement of a sheet beyond said sensing device -to deenergize said magnetic conveyor and move said resilient tip downwardly away from the direction of sheet feed whereby said resilient tip contacts the top of said fed sheet intermediate its ends after deenergization of said magnetic conveyor and moves downwardly with said fed sheet.

2. In a sheet piler including an electro-magnetic conveyor, means for feeding steel sheets to the underside of `said magnetic conveyor, a platform beneath said magnetic conveyor for receiving sheets, and means for lowering said platform as sheets accumulate thereon, the improvement comprising a non-contact sheet sensing device at the entry end of said magnetic conveyor, a bent link 3 i pivotally mounted at its upper end adjacent said conveyor and extending downwardly therefrom toward the entry end of said conveyor, a depressor Iarm pivotally mounted on the outer end of said link, a resilient tip on the lower end of said depressor arm, linkage connected to said bent link intermediate its length, a spring extending between and connected to said bent link and depressor arm adjacent the upper ends thereof, actuating means connected to said linkage for moving said resilient tip from a position above'the path of ltravel of a sheet to said magnetic conveyor to a position downwardly and away from the direction of approach of said sheets, means operable by actuation of said sensing device to energize sm`d magnetic conveyor and move said resilient tip to its upper position, and means operable by movement of a sheet beyond said sensing device `to deenergize said magnetic conveyor and move said resilient tip downwardly and away from the direction of sheet feed whereby said resilient tip contacts the top of said fed sheet intermediate its ends after deenergization of said magnetic conveyor and moves downwardly with said fed sheet.

3. In a sheet piler including an electro-magnetic conveyor, means for 'feeding steel sheets to the underside of said magnetic conveyor, a platform beneath said magnetic conveyor for receiving sheets, and means for lowering said platform as sheets accumulate thereon, the improvement comprising a non-contact sheet-sensing device at the entry end of said magnetic conveyor, a carriage mounted for movement along said conveyor, means for holding said carriage in adjusted position, a resilient tip, means mounting said resilient tip on said carriage for movement from a position Vabove the path of travel of a. sheet to said magnetic conveyor to a position downwardly and away from the direction of approach of said sheets, means operable by actuation of said sensing device to energize said magnetic conve-yor and move said resilient tip to its upper position, and means operable by movement of -a sheet beyond said sensing device to deenergize said magnetic conveyor and move said resilient tip downwardly and away from the direction of sheet feed whereby said resilient tip contacts the top of said fed sheet intermediate its ends after deenengization of said magnetic conveyor and moves downwardly with saidfed sheet.

4. In a sheet piler including ianelectro-magnetic con veyor, means for feeding steel sheets lto the underside of said magnetic conveyor, a platform beneath said magnetic conveyor for receiving sheets, and means for lowering said platform as sheets accumulate thereon, the improvement comprising a non-contact sheet sensing device at the entry end of said magneticconveyor, a carriage mounted for movement along said conveyor, means for holding said carriage in adjusted position, a bent link pivotallymounted at its upper lend on-said carriage and extending downwardly therefrom toward the entry end lof said conveyor, a depressor arm pivotally mounted on .the outer end of said link, a resilient tip on the lower end of said depressor arm, linkage connected to said bent link intermediate the length, a spring extending between and connected to said bent link and depressor arm adjacent the upper ends thereof, Iactuating means fconnected to said linkage for moving said resilient `tip from a position above the path of travel of a sheet to said magnetic conveyor to a position downwardly land away from the direction of approach of said s-heets, means operable by actuation of said sensing device to energize said magnetic conveyor and move said resilient tip -to its upper position, and means operable by movement of a sheet beyond said sensing device to deenergize said magnetic conveyor and move said resilient tip downwardly and away from the direction of sheet feed whereby said resilient tip contacts the top of said fed sheet intermediate its ends after deene-rgization of said magnetic conveyor and moves downwardly with said fed sheet.

5. In a sheet piler including an electro-magnetic conveyor, means for feeding steel sheets to thegunderside of said magnetic conveyor, a platform beneath said magnetic conveyor for receiving sheets, and means for lower-Y ing said platform as sheets accumulate thereon, the improvement comprising a magnetic sensing device at the entry end of said magnetic conveyor, a carriage mounted for movement along said conveyor, means for holding said carriagein adjusted position, a cylinder mounted on said carriage and having a rod extending downwardly therefrom, a bent link pivotally supported on said carriage and extending downwardly therefrom toward the entry end of said conveyor, a depressor arm pivotally mounted on the outer end of said link, a resilient tip on the lower end of said depressor arm, linkage connected to said bent link extending therefrom and pivotally connected to the lower end of said piston rod, a spring extending between and connected to said .bent link and depressor arm adjacent the upper ends thereof, means operable by actuation of said sensing device to energize said magnetic conveyor and operate said cylinder to move said resilient tip upwardly, and means operable by movement of a sheet beyond said 4sensing device to deencrgize said magnetic conveyor Iand operate said cylinder to move said resilient tip downwardly' and away from 4the direction of sheet feed whereby said resilient tip contacts the top of said fedk sheet intermediate its ends after deenergization of said magnetic conveyor and moves downwardly with said fed sheet.

References Cited in the le of this'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A SHEET PILER INCLUDING AN ELECTROMAGNETIC CONVEYOR, MEANS FOR FEEDING STEEL SHEETS TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID MAGNETIC CONVEYOR, A PLATFORM BENEATH SAID MAGNETIC CONVEYOR FOR RECEIVING SHEETS, AND MEANS FOR LOWERING SAID PLATFORM AS SHEETS ACCUMULATE THEREON, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A NON-CONTACT SHEET SENSING DEVICE AT THE ENTRY END OF SAID MAGNETIC CONVEYOR, A RESILIENT TIP, MEANS MOUNTING SAID RESILIENT TIP FOR MOVEMENT FROM A POSITION ABOVE THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF A SHEET TO SAID MAGNETIC CONVEYOR TO A POSITION DOWNWARDLY AND AWAY FROM THE DIRECTION OF APPROACH OF SAID SHEETS, MEANS OPERABLE BY ACTUATION OF SAID SENSING DEVICE TO ENERGIZE SAID MAGNETIC CONVEYOR AND MOVE SAID RESILIENT TIP TO ITS UPPER POSITION, AND MEANS OPERABLE BY MOVEMENT OF A SHEET BEYOND SAID SENSING DEVICE TO DEENERGIZE SAID MAGNETIC CONVEYOR AND MOVE SAID RESILIENT TIP DOWNWARDLY AWAY FROM THE DIRECTION OF SHEET FEED WHEREBY SAID RESILIENT TIP CONTACTS THE TOP OF SAID FED SHEET INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS AFTER DEENERGIZATION OF SAID MAGNETIC CONVEYOR AND MOVES DOWNWARDLY WITH SAID FED SHEET. 